.45 ammo yesterday and today

[HogDoc Olliday]

I have a question about the ammo of the cowboy days (late 1800's). For example, how does the .45 Long Colt of the old west compare to the .45 Long Colt ammo of today, specifically, the muzzle velocity, ballistics, etc.?

[Shotgun Franklin]

Modern ammo can be from 225 gr to 250 gr bullets mostly loaded to about 860 fps. Hollow Points are available. There are some really hot really heavy bullet loads available but they're to hot for any Colt or Colt clone.
Old West loads were almost universally 255 gr bullets loaded to about 900 fps, sometimes just a little hotter. There were lighter loads like the .45 Government, made for both the .45 Colt and S&W .
If you put all the info on loads and bullets you'd have a small book.

[St. George]

Indeed - they'd call it the 'Lyman Reloading Handbook', and they'd print through several editions...

Scouts Out!